The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 08, 2005
Filed:
May. 08, 2002
Kouji Nishihata, Tokuyama, JP;
Kazuhiro Joo, Kudamatsu, JP;
Shoji Ikuhara, Hikari, JP;
Tetsuya Tahara, Hikari, JP;
Shoji Okiguchi, Kudamatsu, JP;
Kouji Nishihata, Tokuyama, JP;
Kazuhiro Joo, Kudamatsu, JP;
Shoji Ikuhara, Hikari, JP;
Tetsuya Tahara, Hikari, JP;
Shoji Okiguchi, Kudamatsu, JP;
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A vacuum processing method and apparatus processing units for conducting processing, a transfer processing unit connected with the plurality of processing units for carrying wafers, and a control unit for controlling the processing units. A processing order information storing device stores a processing order of the wafers for the processing units, an operational information signal generating device generates an operational information signal indicating an operable or inoperable state of each of the processing units, an operational information signal storing device stores the operational information signal indicating the state of each of the processing units, and a control device matches and processes the processing order information and the operational information signal, and continues operation without using an inoperable processing unit while using other operable processing units.